Welcome back, returning students! And for those new to USC Dornsife, welcome to the Trojan Family! We’re happy to have you here and to send you this academic year’s first issue of Dornsife Connect, your source for the latest news, events and information, delivered straight to your inbox.

In this issue:

USC Dornsife researchers turned the world into a laboratory, traveling to all seven continents as part of a broad research footprint that stretched around the globe. Trace their paths with our interactive map.

USC Dornsife’s new Intensives let undergraduates build expertise in high-demand specialties — and earn a credential that appears on their diploma and transcript.

Why it matters: Intensives can help students show employers and graduate schools they’ve got valuable skills that go beyond their major.

How it works: Complete three courses in one focused area.

What’s next: More Intensives will be introduced later this year.

What profession was most common in Colonial America?

A - Soldier

B - Carpenter

C - Farmer

D - Sailor

USC was the only university to host the Freedom Plane, a traveling exhibit of the nation's founding documents. Historian Peter Mancall takes us behind the display glass to examine living history.

Just weeks after graduating last May, USC Dornsife economics alumnus Darnell Adler won Red Bull Basement’s 2026 World Final.

What’s new: Lifeline AI lets users trigger a silent SOS and share critical information without taking a phone out of their pocket.

In his words: “Being the Red Bull Basement global winner means that I can help people at scale, hopefully making the world a safer place for everybody,” Adler said. “And that means the world to me.”

The bottom line: Adler’s victory highlights how USC Dornsife students are turning ideas into real-world solutions — and how one recent graduate hopes to make emergency response safer for people everywhere.

Grammy-nominated musician Aloe Blacc ’01 shares how studying psychology and linguistics at USC Dornsife shaped his legendary songwriting process.

A USC Dornsife education transcends Los Angeles. From Catalina Island to Oaxaca, Mexico, and Washington, D.C., see where learning opportunities took Trojans this summer.

Whether you plan to drink or not, USC’s new Rethink the Drink campaign can help you make intentional choices and stick to your game plan on football game days, including ways to reduce potential harm if you choose to drink.

C - Farmer

In 1776, 94% of the population lived in rural areas, where they tended crops and animals. You can read more about what life was like for the colonists in the latest issue of USC Dornsife Magazine.

Explore what history can teach us about the nation America is becoming and how evolving ideas about freedom, citizenship and democracy can help us navigate the future.

Register to vote and explore internship and entry-level job opportunities for students interested in politics, public service, and community engagement.

Enjoy writing contest raffles, letter crafts, traditional games and snacks as you learn about the Korean language and commemorate the invention and proclamation of Hangul, the Korean Alphabet system.

Made in the Shade. This temporary shade structure, designed by USC students, took first place in ShadeLA’s inaugural Shade Zones Design Competition, which challenged college students across Los Angeles to devise innovative ways to protect Angelenos from extreme heat.

The winning design debuted this summer at the Downtown Inglewood Metro Rail station before moving near the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, where World Cup fans put it to use. (Photo: Mike Glier.)